Tightening locknuts with hammer and screwdriver-dog rough or not?

pc1966 · Sep 2, 2023

Of course the "proper tool" for this is a ring slogging spanner. Limited risk of damage to the nut, and the satisfaction of tightening with a hammer.

Stop! Hammer time...

Of course would really need modified as @Mike Johnson suggested to be similar to the brake pipe spanners that have a slot that can fit over the typical cable inner.

Eric12 · Sep 2, 2023

pc1966 said:
Of course the "proper tool" for this is a ring slogging spanner. Limited risk of damage to the nut, and the satisfaction of tightening with a hammer.

Stop! Hammer time...

Of course would really need modified as @Mike Johnson suggested to be similar to the brake pipe spanners that have a slot that can fit over the typical cable inner.

I tried this method before; did not end as well as expected tbh. Problem is that different manufacturers have different sized locknuts for their glands, So what might work for one wont for another !

littlespark · Sep 2, 2023

Eric12 said:
I tried this method before; did not end as well as expected tbh. Problem is that different manufacturers have different sized locknuts for their glands, So what might work for one wont for another !

Whereas an old screwdriver will take a hold on any sized locknut.

Seriously though, I’ve never tightened a nut this way, but loosened plenty off.

Mike Johnson · Sep 3, 2023

Eric12 said:
I tried this method before; did not end as well as expected tbh. Problem is that different manufacturers have different sized locknuts for their glands, So what might work for one wont for another !

That's why spanner are usually supplied in sets of different size's.

DefyG · Sep 3, 2023

Not condoning the hammer and screwdriver method, but I'm sure we've all had to improvise at sometime or other ?

rewireIT · Sep 3, 2023

A whole six pages........

brianmoooore · Sep 3, 2023

rewireIT said:
A whole six pages........

Exactly! Yes, dog rough, but sometimes necessary.

Dustydazzler · Sep 3, 2023

Falls into the same debate as house bashers using their 18v impact driver on consumer units

[ElectriciansForums.net] Tightening locknuts with hammer and screwdriver-dog rough or not?

Moley · Sep 3, 2023

Next time I'm working on a gen tx I'll take a photo of the bottom of the marshalling kiosk. It's nearly always impossible to get a spanner in. On rare occasions you might get a water pump pliers on one but no chance with a spanner.

DefyG · Sep 3, 2023

There was a thread a few weeks back about an alternative use for a tool other than it was originally intended for. I'm sure they were all listed in that thread!

loz2754 · Sep 3, 2023

Dustydazzler said:
Falls into the same debate as house bashers using their 18v impact driver on consumer units

Not really. One is really just stupidly stunningly dumb, the other is a last ditch method only to be used when all else has failed.

Marvo · Sep 3, 2023

Moley said:
You should try working on a marshalling kiosk on a large transformer. On some of them there's no wa to get a spanner of any kind in. The designers had no thoughts on maintenance :-(

Moley said:
I'm guilty of using a hammer and screwdriver. When you are working on a gland plate with 24+ glands in 4 rows of 6 and you need to remove one from one of the inner rows there's just no chance of getting in with anything else :-(

Yeah, sounds like some of the badly designed cabinets we also have to work with. Like you say when there's 25 or 30 glands in multiple rows rammed into a gland plate with maybe 10mm space between and they're large diameter SWA cables that can't be moved around to make some swinging room then you're often left with no other option but to use an impact type tool rather than a spanner or socket.

We keep stock of nuts between M20 and M60 that have a castle shaped outer rim which are ideal for tightening or loosening with a pin punch or a screwdriver if you're in a bind. They're often called 'locknuts' in the hardware catalogues and it's worth carrying a small selection in your kit for a rainy day.

Moley · Sep 3, 2023

I find a lot of that style nut on some of the Canadian equipment that we fit. Maybe they are big over there?

nicebutdim · Sep 3, 2023

Moley said:
I find a lot of that style nut on some of the Canadian equipment that we fit. Maybe they are big over there?

Hopefully not too big or there'll be no space to get a tool on them.

Marvo · Sep 6, 2023

Moley said:
I find a lot of that style nut on some of the Canadian equipment that we fit. Maybe they are big over there?

You see them quite often on Copex type flexible conduit fittings that are widely used in the USA and Canada for connecting commercial equipment to fused and unfused disconnect switches. They're designed to be tightened with a 'C-spanner' but they work very well as a slogging nut using an extra long pin punch.

pirate · Sep 6, 2023

Another useful idea from Canada! I'd like some for the fixings box, just in case...
Talking of Canada, anyone else using Robertson screws just to annoy the next guy?

telectrix · Sep 6, 2023

nicebutdim said:
The multi tool before multi tools were invented.

love it. nice and succinct post. been doing it for years - beats bashing knuckles on a slipping pair of gland pliers.

Dustydazzler · Sep 6, 2023

pirate said:
Another useful idea from Canada! I'd like some for the fixings box, just in case...
Talking of Canada, anyone else using Robertson screws just to annoy the next guy?

these days many bit sets you buy from screwfix / toolstation now come with a square 2 and sometimes even a square 1 & 2

I actually prefer torx over when it comes to wood screws

Mike Johnson · Sep 6, 2023

If any of you have done any decking recently, the screws come with all sorts of different heads including torx type, but thankfully they usually supply a drive head in the box.

nicebutdim · Sep 6, 2023

pirate said:
Another useful idea from Canada! I'd like some for the fixings box, just in case...
Talking of Canada, anyone else using Robertson screws just to annoy the next guy?

We rarely use anything else over here, but I get real satisfaction from using them in GB for that very reason.

telectrix · Sep 7, 2023

pirate said:
Another useful idea from Canada! I'd like some for the fixings box, just in case...
Talking of Canada, anyone else using Robertson screws just to annoy the next guy?

done that a few times for that very reason.

ronalsparks · Sep 7, 2023

The quality of the nuts from the suppliers is so poor and thin the hammer and screwdriver is sometimes the only sure way of getting them anywhere near tight. It is old school and sounds rough but the key is continuity and security of the gland and as for it coming apart again how often does that happen and you don’t want it to come loose anyway.

Smasher · Sep 8, 2023

briwire said:
I had a job recently where myself and an apprentice had to gland and terminate a 50mm SWA cable in a panel. I put the locknut in a vice and filed V shaped notches in the 6 leading edges. The apprentice was curious as to what I was doing. As we installed it, I got my trusty old screwdriver out and hammered the locknut tight as my assistant held the gland with his stillies. On completion, he said that it was dog rough, but so difficult to tighten with gland nut pliers. I would be interested to now what others think.

Each to their own, but for me it’s right tool for the job, everytime. When you don’t have the right tool that is the problem/dilemma. And if you are slack with that, what else are you slack with?

nicebutdim · Sep 8, 2023

Smasher said:
Each to their own, but for me it’s right tool for the job, everytime. When you don’t have the right tool that is the problem/dilemma. And if you are slack with that, what else are you slack with?

How do you use the right tool in circumstances in which there is no prospect of getting that tool near the luck nut?

Pretty Mouth · Sep 8, 2023

nicebutdim said:
How do you use the right tool in circumstances in which there is no prospect of getting that tool near the luck nut?

Under such circumstances, the chisel is the right tool

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